Learn About ‘Talk With Me’ Program

by Marcey Ansley

Words are Powerful! This is a continual theme at Lexington Hearing & Speech Center (LHSC), where our primary mission is to teach children with hearing, speech and language delays and disabilities to listen and talk.
We do this through early intervention and most importantly, TALKING!
Our ears are the doorway to our brain. For children this means that access to sound and speech through their ears directly impacts language development.
Regular hearing and speech screenings will help identify any areas of concern for both access to and development of speech and language.
Early intervention is the KEY to school readiness and literacy development, and this can begin at birth.
In Kentucky, we are incredibly fortunate that the majority of babies are screened for hearing loss at birth. And, as many of us are preparing for a new school-year, school-aged children are getting their annual screenings.
However, there are many years between birth and kindergarten. The clinicians at Lexington Hearing & Speech Center recommend annual hearing screenings for everyone.
Hearing loss, especially noise-induced hearing loss, can be gradual, and most people don’t know what they don’t hear.
LHSC offers full hearing evaluations, hearing and speech screenings to area childcare centers, and is available to attend area health fairs to discuss healthy hearing and speech.
In addition, there is a list of Developmental Milestones on our website: www.lhscky.org/speech
Parents/guardians have the power to influence language development by talking with their children.
According to Abby Thompson, Early Intervention Director at LHSC, “it is so simple! As parents, we can use our voices to talk, sing and play with our children.
“This early interaction is incredibly fun and provides a foundation for early language skills. In addition to reading mounds of books, one of my favorite language-building strategies with my three-year old is going to the grocery store.
“We never stop talking about what we see, smell and are doing in the store.”

Lexington Hearing & Speech Center

Lexington Hearing & Speech Center is a non-profit organization serving over 65 Kentucky counties with a mission of teaching children with hearing loss and speech/language delays to listen and talk.
LHSC provides education services for children 6 weeks of age through Kindergarten, speech/language therapy, and audiology services.
In 2018, LHSC formalized its Listening & Spoken Language Center for children with hearing loss.
With the help of the community, LHSC is able to ensure that no child is ever defined by his or her communication delay and will have a sound beginning.

Marcey Ansley is the executive director of the Lexington Hearing & Speech Center. For more info, visit www.lhscky.org.